Pride and Promises ✔

Chapter 43

As I was losing myself in the unfairness of this world, the thoughtful fool that he was, Adrian wordlessly pulled me into his embrace, effectively comforting me without me even realizing I needed it. My heart swelled with the now familiar and stronger emotion towards the caring devil. I inhaled his scent that reminded me of hot chocolate and let him chase my dark thoughts away. He pulled away after some time and peered into my eyes.

“Well, we can ask dad more about it. But for that, we need to enter first. Come on, they must be waiting.” He clasped my hand in his and moved towards the front door but I stopped him.

“I- Adrian, what if...they don’t like me?” I asked the question that had been bothering me since last night. I’d never been good at meeting parents- not that I had much experience on that matter. The only parents I’d met was Allie’s and that too, was not by choice. They’d come to our room hoping to surprise Allie. Instead, they were the ones to be surprised when they found their daughter’s roommate who nearly knocked the poor Mr. Rivers unconscious with her heavy book.

Allie was out partying with her boyfriend of that time and some of his friends. She’d informed me that she’d be spending the night at his place. So one can only imagine my fear when the door to our apartment opened all of a sudden at half past ten that night. That combined with Mr. Rivers’ booming voice calling out for his daughter was one of the scariest thing I’d ever experienced in my life. I was still in shock while my defense mechanism and my adrenaline kicked in. I’d watched in absolute horror as the book I was holding flew out of my hands with the intent of giving the man a serious concussion- and it would have, if he hadn’t ducked down on time. That single handed experience was enough to instill a reasonable doubt in me regarding parents meet.

Adrian looked at me like I was crazy and opened his mouth, probably to tell me just that but I interrupted him. “Listen to me first. Adrian, your parents… they remember me as their friend’s daughter- this little girl who probably used to cling to their son every day,” I ignored his amused smirk at that and continued, “but the thing is, I don’t remember them! I don’t even remember myself! How am I supposed to act around them if I don’t know how I used to do so before? What did I call them as? What if they’re disappointed in what I am now? What if-”

“Eve, love, listen to me now.” I was engulfed by a pair of arms and once again pulled against a strong, hard chest. I should’ve pulled away and reprimanded him for taking liberties but the witchy devil clearly knew what spell he was using, and he was damn good at it. Adrian’s voice calmed me like soothing sea waves in an otherwise dead night.

“My parents don’t just like you. They adore you. You’re all they’ve been talking about ever since they saw you that day at the hospital. Hell, I can bet on half of my money that they like you more than me, and they haven’t even met you yet. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, you hear me?” He pulled away and held my shoulders as I nodded reluctantly.

While his words had managed to reassure me, there still was that fear deep in my heart. I really wanted them to like me. I couldn't say whether it was because I was dating their son or because I used to know them, or simply because I was yearning for a family. Either way, I couldn't stand the thought of them being disappointed in me.

“If by any chance- which is as slim as the chance of you thinking I’m not handsome,” Adrian started, making me roll my eyes at him. Right. His daily dose of self ego boost. “I’d still like you all the same.”

To get a hold on my slipping composure at his stronger spells, I gave him a dry look- which I had a feeling, was not as dry as I’d have liked, judging by his infamous smirk. Huffing lightly, I forced my feet to co-ordinate with each other and take me to the front door of his house while the witch in the body of the arrogant devil followed closely behind, making me very aware of his body. Just as I climbed the last step on his porch, I was pulled against the hard chest. Again. The man seriously needed a lecture about personal space.